Rs 50 for platform ticket at Surat railway station triggers protests

Authorities of the Surat Railway station started collecting Rs 50 as platform ticket charges from Wednesday, triggering protests from passengers who alleged it was the highest in the state. Member of Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC), Habib Vora, made a representation to the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Western Railway and demanded a reduction in the platform ticket rates.

Union Minister of State for Railways and Surat city MP, Darshana Jardosh, said, “We have come across complaints from the people about the hike in platform ticket rate in Surat. I spoke to the Western Railway authorities and told them to reduce the charges.”

Since the outbreak of Covid pandemic, the Surat railway authorities had stopped issuing platform tickets. After the Covid cases declined, the authorities started issuing platform tickets from Wednesday. After the news of new platform fares spread, several organisations made representations to Surat Railway station director Dinesh Verma, urging a reduction in the rates.

Talking to The Indian Express, Verma said, “To prevent the crowding at the railway station during the pandemic, the platform ticket fare was increased to Rs 50. Surat railway station falls under the North Sub-urban Grade-1 of Mumbai region and the rates are high. The aim is to prevent over-crowding at railway stations.”

Pointing out that such high platform ticket rates were unfair to the elderly, pregnant women and physically challenged persons, Surat Habib Vohra said, “We condemn the decision of a rise in platform ticket fares and have made representations to Western Railway Mumbai division Satyakumar.”